Ratchford Family History
Ratchford Name Meaning
English:: habitational name from Rochford (Worcestershire) from Old English ræcc ‘hunting dog’ (genitive ræcces) + ford ‘ford’. habitational name from Rochford (Essex). Early forms of the name ending in Ro- suggest that the placename derives from Old English hrōc ‘rook’ or the Old English personal name Hrōc(a) + Old English ford ‘ford’ but the 13th century forms in Ra- and Re- suggest that the first element is Old English ræcc ‘hunting dog’.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022